How do you sum up twenty years of fieldwork? Endless interviews, countless cups of tea, and enough unpredictable moments to keep us on our toes the whole way through.

We’ve seen the industry shift, tech transform, and project briefs grow from two pages to twenty slides. But what hasn’t changed? The people, the stories, and the research that drives it all.

In true Acumen style, we’re celebrating the moments that made us laugh, sweat, swell with pride and sometimes all three.

Getting Lost in Translation: A Poster and a Confused Welsh Village

Rewinding to the early days before the age of AI, we were running a community project in rural Wales. Everything was going smoothly… until we realised the recruitment poster needed to be bilingual. Google Translate to the rescue! Or so we thought.

A call from a perplexed leisure centre receptionist soon revealed our Welsh version was… gibberish. Thankfully, she kindly offered to translate it herself. Lesson learned: always check translations with a native speaker and never underestimate the patience of rural communities.

Even the Best-Laid Plans Can Go Bananas

Fast forward to our ‘Wonderful World of Field’ conference at London Zoo. Mid-break, the animal escape alarm went off. Delegates were marooned while security scrambled to track down a rogue gorilla who, in the meantime, had discovered a bottle of Vimto. The gorilla had drunk the lot before being safely escorted back.

A legendary story, and a reminder that the best fieldwork moments often come from the unexpected.

Understanding the Barriers

While our fieldwork adventures have given us plenty of laughs, they’ve also been punctuated by moments of real impact.

In 2022, we partnered with Guide Dogs UK to explore how the built environment affects the lives and independence of people with visual impairments. Through an online survey with nearly 400 participants, we identified which features of public spaces posed the greatest challenges, and how Covid measures may have amplified them.

Accessibility and empathy guided every step. We prioritised inclusive design, offered clear communication about incentive payments, and ensured participants had access to Guide Dogs’ support services if any topics felt difficult.

The response was heartfelt. Participants praised the survey’s accessibility, and the findings have since drawn national attention, now being developed into a White Paper for Parliament.

For us, it was a humbling reminder that inclusive design isn’t just about spaces. It’s about equality, independence, and ensuring every voice can be heard.

Capturing Truth in Unprecedented Times

Another poignant project took place in 2024, when we helped Verian Group recruit 600 young people aged 9–22 for face-to-face interviews as part of Module 8 of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry. We explored how children and young people experienced the pandemic, adapted to sudden change, and coped with its real-world impacts.

Reaching vulnerable and seldom-heard audiences required care, patience, and creativity. Phone calls, Zooms, and in-person visits built trust, while safeguarding and age-appropriate communication ensured participants felt comfortable and heard.

It was intense, meaningful work. Every insight contributed to a national understanding of the pandemic’s effects, proving that research isn’t just numbers and charts; it’s people, stories, and decisions that shape lives.

Thank You for the Memories

Looking back, it’s not the spreadsheets or surveys we remember. It’s the people, the laughter, and the “we’ll figure it out” moments that define us.

Here’s to the projects that pushed us, the partners who trusted us, and the fieldwork stories that still make us smile twenty years on.

And here’s to the next chapter, because we’re just getting started.